This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
A traditional front wheel drive (FWD) vehicle often has a transverse mounted powertrain, which in the industry as identified as being in the “P2 location”. As should be appreciated, space is at a premium in this location. As a result, when an engine, transmission, flywheel, and torque converter are located in the P2 location there is virtually no additional room for an electric motor. This is illustrated in FIG. 1 which shows a typical engine/transmission architecture where the transmission housing is axially aligned with the crankshaft of the engine. An independent electric motor is typically secured to, or adjacent to, the transmission housing, for cranking the engine during a starting operation. These components are further arranged transversely in the engine compartment of the vehicle. More specifically, the available transverse space in the P2 location simply does not permit adding a conventional electric motor between the engine and the transmission. As a result, a hybrid powertrain must incorporate the electric motor at some other location on the vehicle, which can also be challenging from a space availability standpoint. Locating the electric motor remotely from the other powertrain components also can complicate the design and/or layout of the vehicle's exhaust system. Still further, the use of a fully independent electric motor at some location other than the P2 location, and which is typically housed within its own housing, can add significant additional weight to the vehicle and/or alter the weight distribution of the vehicle.
Accordingly, there is a need for a hybrid powertrain construction that can be integrated into the P2 location without tangibly increasing the overall length of the powertrain.